College Algebra Sixth Edition James Stewart  Lothar Redlin  Saleem Watson

1. College Algebra Sixth Edition James StewartLothar RedlinSaleem Watson

2. Prerequisites P

3. Integer Exponentsand Scientific Notation P.3

4. Exponents • In this section, we review the rules for working with exponent notation. • We also see how exponents can be used to represent very large and very small numbers.

5. Exponential Notation

6. Exponential Notation • A product of identical numbers is usually written in exponential notation. • For example, 5 · 5 · 5 is written as 53. • In general, we have the following definition.

7. Exponential Notation • If a is any real number and n is a positive integer, then the nth power of a is: • an =a ·a ·· · ·· a • The number a is called the base, and n is called the exponent.

8. E.g. 1—Exponential Notation

9. Rules for Working with Exponential Notation • We can state several useful rules for working with exponential notation.

10. Rule for Multiplication • To discover the rule for multiplication, we multiply 54 by 52: • It appears that, to multiply two powers of the same base, we add their exponents.

11. Rule for Multiplication • In general, for any real number a and any positive integers m and n, we have: • Thus, aman =am+n.

12. Rule for Multiplication • We would like this rule to be true even when m and n are 0 or negative integers. • For instance, we must have: 20· 23 = 20+3 = 23 • But this can happen only if 20 = 1.

13. Rule for Multiplication • Likewise, we want to have: 54· 5–4 = 54+(–4) = 54–4 = 50 = 1 • This will be true if 5–4 = 1/54. • These observations lead to the following definition.

14. Zero and Negative Exponents • If a ≠ 0 is any real number and n is a positive integer, then a0 = 1 and a–n = 1/an

15. E.g. 2—Zero and Negative Exponents

16. Rules for Working with Exponents

17. Laws of Exponents • Familiarity with these rules is essential for our work with exponents and bases. • The bases a and b are real numbers. • The exponents m and n are integers.

18. Law 3—Proof • If m and n are positive integers, we have: • The cases for which m ≤ 0 or n ≤ 0 can be proved using the definition of negative exponents.

19. Law 4—Proof • If n is a positive integer, we have: • We have used the Commutative and Associative Properties repeatedly. • If n ≤ 0, Law 4 can be proved using the definition of negative exponents.

20. E.g. 3—Using Laws of Exponents

21. E.g. 3—Using Laws of Exponents

22. E.g. 4—Simplifying Expressions with Exponents • Simplify:

23. Example (a) E.g. 4—Simplifying

24. Example (b) E.g. 4—Simplifying

25. Simplifying Expressions with Negative Exponents • When simplifying an expression, you will find that many different methods will lead to the same result. • You should feel free to use any of the rules of exponents to arrive at your own method.

26. E.g. 5—Simplifying Exprns. with Negative Exponents • Eliminate negative exponents and simplify each expression.

27. Example (a) E.g. 5—Negative Exponents • We use Law 7, which allows us to move a number raised to a power from the numerator to the denominator (or vice versa) by changing the sign of the exponent:

28. Example (b) E.g. 5—Negative Exponents • We use Law 6, which allows us to change the sign of the exponent of a fraction by inverting the fraction.

29. Scientific Notation

30. Scientific Notation • Exponential notation is used by scientists as a compact way of writing very large numbers and very small numbers. • For example, • The nearest star beyond the sun, Proxima Centauri, is approximately 40,000,000,000,000 km away. • The mass of a hydrogen atom is about 0.00000000000000000000000166 g.

31. Scientific Notation • Such numbers are difficult to read and to write. • So, scientists usually express them in scientific notation.

32. Scientific Notation • A positive number x is said to be written in scientific notation if it is expressed as follows: • x = a x 10n • where: • 1 ≤a< 10. • n is an integer.

33. Scientific Notation • For instance, when we state that the distance to Proxima Centauri is 4 x 1013 km, the positive exponent 13 indicates that the decimal point should be moved 13 places to the right: • 4 x 1013 = 40,000,000,000,000

34. Scientific Notation • When we state that the mass of a hydrogen atom is 1.66 x 10–24 g, the exponent –24 indicates that the decimal point should be moved 24 places to the left: 1.66 x 10–24 • =0.00000000000000000000000166

35. E.g. 6—Changing from Decimal to Scientific Notation

36. E.g. 7—Changing from Scientific Notation to Decimal

37. Scientific Notation in Calculators • Scientific notation is often used on a calculator to display a very large or very small number. • Suppose we use a calculator to square the number 1,111,111.

38. Scientific Notation in Calculators • The display panel may show (depending on the calculator model) the approximation 1.234568 12 or 1.23468 E12 • The final digits indicate the power of 10, and we interpret the result as 1.234568 x 1012.

39. E.g. 8—Calculating with Scientific Notation • If a ≈ 0.00046b ≈ 1.697 x 1022 and c ≈ 2.91 x 10–18 use a calculator to approximate the quotient ab/c. • We could enter the data using scientific notation, or we could use laws of exponents as follows.

40. E.g. 7—Calculating with Scientific Notation • We state the answer correct to two significant figures because the least accurate of the given numbers is stated to two significant figures.